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Fatal Judgment (Guardians of Justice Book #1): A Novel by [Irene Hannon]

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Irene Hannon

Fatal Judgment (Guardians of Justice Book #1): A Novel Kindle Edition

by Irene Hannon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

837 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Guardians of Justice

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U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward Liz haven't warmed in the five years since she lost her husband--and Jake's best friend--to possible suicide. How can Jake be expected to care for the coldhearted workaholic who drove his friend to despair?

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, his feelings slowly start to change. When it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in mortal danger.

Full of the suspense and romance Irene Hannon's fans have come to love, Fatal Judgment is a thrilling story that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night.

Print length

339 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Revell
Publication date

January 1, 2011
File size

1029 KB
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Extraordinary writing . . . a not-to-be-missed reading experience."--RT Book Reviews on Against All Odds (4½ stars, Top Pick)

U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven't warmed in the five years since she drove her husband--and Jake's best friend--to despair . . . and possible suicide.

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in danger.

Full of suspense and romance, Fatal Judgment launches a thrilling series featuring three siblings bound by blood and a passion for justice.

Praise for the books of Irene Hannon

"Fast-paced crime drama with an aside of romance . . . [and] an ever-climactic mystery. Hannon's tale is engagingly sure-footed."--Publishers Weekly

"Hannon is a master at character development."--Library Journal

"Superbly written."--Booklist

RITA®-award-winner (and four-time finalist) Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels, including Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm's Way. A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full time from her home in Missouri. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than forty-five novels, including That Certain Summer, One Perfect Spring, and the Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. Her books have been honored with two coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, a Carol Award, three HOLT Medallions, a Daphne du Maurier Award, two Reviewers Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews, a Retailers Choice Award, a Booksellers Best Award, and a National Readers Choice Award. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist, and Booklist included one of her novels in its Top 10 Inspirational Fiction list for 2011.

--This text refers to the audioCD edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004DNWG2U
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (January 1, 2011)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2011
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1029 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 339 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0800734564
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #131,294 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #907 in Contemporary Christian Romance (Books)
- #924 in Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance (Books)
- #940 in Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
837 ratings

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Irene Hannon

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Irene Hannon is the best-selling author of more than 35 novels. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Reviewer's Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine and the Daphne du Maurier Award for mystery/suspense. Irene and her husband make their home in Missouri, USA. Irene invites you to visit her at her website, www.irenehannon.com

Customer reviews

5 star		73%
4 star		19%
3 star		5%
2 star		3%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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A bit dated but good

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2021

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I've read other books by this author in the past. I like her writing enough to seek out other books that she's written.

This one is a bit dated in technology (blackberrys for communication). The romance is a bit predictable. Both have been married before. Both lost their spouses to accidents. Both have feelings of guilt about the accidents that killed their respective spouses.

The suspense/action part is decent.

The Christian aspects of the story were a bit disappointing. They took a back seat to the suspense/action part of the story. Does Jake repair his relationship with God? We're told he goes to church with his sister and that he prays after Liz is abducted--but I'm not sure that's indication that he's seeking a renewed relationship with God.

The cat was cute--but gets lost in the story. We don't know if Patricia took him back to Africa with her (doubtful since there might be animal quarantine issues), if the Morettis took him in, if one of the agents took him in, if Molly's family took him in, or if Liz and/or Jake took him in. Poor kitty.

Helpful

ADropofInkReviews

Typical formula book with a Christian flair

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2015

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This is what I call a "formula book." You have the handsome, strong federal agent go protect the beautiful, yet independent woman during a time of crisis. The agent says he won't get involved, yet finds himself inexorably pulled in by her looks and her fragility. This book followed that formula so close, I couldn't decide if I'd read the book before or not.

What was different about this book was the undercurrent of the Christian faith that ran through the whole thing. However, it wasn't shoved in your face over and over, and didn't impact the story a whole lot.

We have human fragility in faith in the form of Jake Taylor, who lost his faith in God when he lost his wife to a senseless accident several years back. Whereas Elizabeth clung to her faith during all of the trials she'd faced over the years. Do not think that this book depended on God stepping in and make everything work out perfect. It wasn't like that at all. However, the faith component definitely kept down the unnecessary curse words and sexual interactions. It made it so I would be more than willing to hand the book over to my 16 year old without any qualms.

The book had a spectacular ending that kept you flipping through the pages as fast as you could read them to find out what happened next. All in all, It was well-written and an enjoyable read. If you like these types of books, this is one you definitely want to add to your list if you don't mind the Christian aspect of the story line.

3 people found this helpful

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Kindle Reader

Good Romantic Suspense Christian Fiction

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2015

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Wow, this was a really good story! I can't believe I just happened upon Ms. Hannon's work, What luck! Ms. Hannon is a seasoned author, and it shows. The plot is tight; the story that unfolds riveting. Furthermore, the characters, both protagonists and secondary characters, are so well developed that they almost seemed real. Liz, the heroine, is a District Court judge, a position she's only had for four months. Liz's sister is recently separated from her husband and is staying with Liz when she is murdered--shot in the back of the head. The US Marshals are called in to provide Liz with a protective detail until it can be determined whether her sister, or Liz, was the intended target.

Jake Taylor, a veteran US Marshal, was the best friend of Liz's husband, who died five years earlier. Jake and Liz haven't seen each other since the funeral, and before that they had only met once, when Liz married his friend. Although Jake Liz very well, he certainly has an opinion of her, one based on things told to him by his friend. From those conversations, Jake believes Liz is cold-hearted, work obsessed, and self-absorbed. Jake is not happy when he is put in charge of Liz's protective detail, but being the consummate professional he accepts the assignment without complaint. At first Jake's manner towards Liz is reserved and strictly professional, but in light of her intense grief, he can't help but feel compassion towards her. Very quickly his manner softens, and as he spends more time with Liz, Jake comes to realize that she is nothing like he thought she was; she is kind, compassionate, caring, and generous. Very quickly, Jake's feelings for Liz change and evolve into love.

What I really like about this story is the way the romance between Jake and Liz evolves over time. This is no rush to love; although the two are intensely attracted from very early on. I loved the fact that despite his reservations about Liz, Jake was always polite and professional towards her, and as he gets to know her better, his behavior became more protective, tender, and very sweet. This being a Christian romance, the story is clean; no sex, just the occasional sweet kiss here and there. That does not mean, however, that there is no chemistry between the couple. In fact the opposite is true. Jake is very attracted to Liz, and at times has an almost overwhelming urge to hold her or kiss her. Nonetheless, while he was assigned to protect her, Jake keeps his behavior professional, and it's not until the threat against Liz is removed that the couple finally share their first kiss. In the interim, we see sweet moments between them; a tender look, a light caress of a cheek, a moment of hand holding.

The story provides an overall picture for the reader--by that I mean that we are privy to the identity of the culprit who seeks to murder Liz very early on in the book. Parts of the story are told from the killer's perspective, and we get to know a little about him, his life, and his motivation for trying to kill Liz. For some readers this may be a deal breaker as some prefer to have the mystery drawn out to the very end--or close to--but, I personally enjoyed getting to see things from the perpetrator's POV. It provided an added dimension to the story. My only complaint about the book--if I had to have one--is that for a large part of the story there isn't very much going on in terms of the murder. During that period we see a lot of Jake and Liz together as their relationship develop, which was nice, and we get to follow the police investigation into the murder as they attempt to determine to find the killer and determine whether or not Liz was the intended target. We also get to follow the killer and see what he's doing as he prepares for a second attempt against Liz's life. However, it's not until about the last third of the book that things pick up and the story begins to get exciting. This is certainly not what I would call an action-packed story.

Aside from that one minor complaint aside, I really enjoyed this book. It's a nice combination of sweet romance and suspenseful drama. There's no sex, but truthfully I didn't miss it. As for the Christian aspect, it's very subtle. This book is certainly not what I would call preachy. There is no bible passages quoted, no prayers recited, or the like. Instead, this is a story that involves characters who, like most real people, try to live good Christian lives, but how struggle with their faith, especially during difficult times. IMO, unless you are a person who is offended by any mention of God or Christianity, you probably won't be bothered by the religious aspect. FYI, Jake's younger brother and sister, both of whom are prominently featured in this story, do get their own story in the second and third books in the Guardian's of Justice trilogy. Happy reading!

6 people found this helpful

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E West

A federal judge and a US Marshall

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2018

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US Marshall's Service has the distinction of a very high success rate in protecting those put in their care. However, inspite of their best efforts the youngest federal judge appointed to the 8th Circuit for just four months is kidnapped. Her life depends on the collective skills of US Marshalls, FBI, local PD and the efforts of a man who loves her deeply. This is fast paced, well scripted, with great characterization. A joy to read, with lives based in Christian values.

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TameraP

Well written Romantic Suspence

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2019

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Solid story with moderate amount of action. I generally read Christian fiction and appreciate a story that does not cave to the societal norms of immorality. Irene Hannon did a good job keeping it clean while keeping the suspense and tension in the story. Some aspects of the plot were quite predictable, but there were a few surprises that kept up the interest. I couldn’t give this 5 stars as the story seems to reflect an apathy and ignorance towards the erosion of our constitutional rights. The Sovereign Citizens twist unfortunately painted anyone who claims to be a patriot as a radical. The implication being that to stand for the 2nd amendment is a character flaw which warrants scrutiny.

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Top reviews from other countries

tiggrie AKA Sarah

Not earth shattering, but very enjoyable.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2012

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Irene Hannon is certainly one of the better Christian-romance-suspense writers out there, alongside Dee Henderson. Her characters are engaging and enjoyable, and while she does tend towards a certain homogeneity in her plotting and her heroes, she also makes some good points about faith and life along the way. I also enjoy that she brings in characters from previous series in supporting roles - it's fun to spot characters from "Heroes of Quantico" popping up.

Unlike Henderson, Hannon doesn't have endless irritating typo/grammar errors which detract from the stories and characters. I really enjoy Henderson's characters and storytelling, but it's a shame the proofreading is a huge letdown at times.

Nothing earth shatteringly original here, but an enjoyable, somewhat suspenseful tale with a few interesting twists and turns along the way. If you enjoy Dee Henderson, Lynette Eason and their ilk, and reading suspense and romance with a religious theme, then you will probably find yourself becoming a fan of Irene Hannon, too.

4 people found this helpful

Fellwalker

Fatal Judgement

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2015

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I liked reading this book very much. It kept me " on the edge of my seat" at times wondering just how the situation would work out . It was one of those books that made me want to get to the end to discover how it did work out but at the same time didn't want it to finish as I was enjoying it so much!! I found it interesting too, to read how the main characters changed throughout the book.

lonegunwoman

Guardians of Justice Book 1..........................................

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2014

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An easy enjoyable read, the characters are well draw and flows at a nice pace. Centered on the U S Marshal service and a Federal Judge who needs protection when her sister is killed, this romantic suspense the first in a series held my attention to the last page. A good four and a half stars, well worth your time.

One person found this helpful

Poppy

Fatal Judgment

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2014

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I was looking for something a bit different to a Christian romance and downloaded this onto my Kindle. I wouldn't say that it was a fantastic read but then again I was probably expecting more of an suspense type novel with mystery. I found myself getting frustrated with the storyline in places, as it seemed a bit drawn out, and you could tell where the story was going. It was however quite gripping in a couple of parts.

One person found this helpful

aussie doll

favourite author

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2018

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good read